God's Will
Doctrine #55: Eternal Life
Doctrine #55
Doctrine #55 Read
You were made for eternity. This means that you can never cease to exist, and because you were made in the image of God, you are only 25% physical.
We learned that the Definition of Life is the ability to repair. Why does the Bible talk about "eternal life" even though we are going to die?
Overview
Everyone will spend eternity in one of two places: the new Jerusalem or the lake of fire. Eternal life is the ability to repair for eternity so that every moment in the new Jerusalem is better. Eternal death is the inability to repair for eternity so that every moment in the lake of fire is worse. Every moment in the new Jerusalem is the best moment a believer has ever experienced. Every moment in the lake of fire is the worst moment an unbeliever has ever experienced.
Discussion Question
Do you believe God desires everyone to spend eternity in the new Jerusalem?
Scripture
Revelation 20:10-15
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire.
15And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Commentary
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 7-10
The "lake of fire" will be the final destination for those who are eternally tormented.
Commentary · verse 10
Summary of verses 7-10: When Satan is loosed at the end of the 1000 year reign, he deceives many of the descendants of the Jewish believers who entered into the Millennium from Moab and Edom. God defeats this group with fire coming down from heaven. God sends Satan into the lake of fire with the Antichrist and the false prophet. This next section covered the Final Judgment also known as The Great White Throne Judgment...
Commentary · verses 11-15
Summary of verses 11-15: There will be two judgments. There will be a Reward Judgment (according to works in books) and a Salvation Judgment (according to one book: the Book of Life).
Everyone will be judged according to all their works, all the works they did of themselves whether good or bad. This will be the only moment in history that Justice is completely equaled out. It will be done in front of everyone proving God is Just.
Some people think we will all have the same amount of Reward. They say that because they know there will not be any jealousy in heaven, and they think the way to do that is through the man-made concept of denying uniqueness. Actually, it would be unjust for everyone to have the same Reward when some people deserve more and some people deserve less. Jesus told us to store up treasure (Reward) in heaven (Matthew 6:20). In fact, earlier in Matthew 6 Jesus said some people get their Reward on earth and others get their Reward in heaven. There will not be jealousy over people having different amounts of Reward because people will know it is Just for some people to have more Reward than them and some to have less.
Also, the Reward judgment occurs first. Then the Salvation judgment. There will be people with Reward who do not make the Salvation judgment. What happens to their Reward? Again, people, in hopes of denying uniqueness, want to say that Reward is given to those who do not have much to get everyone closer to the same amount of Reward. Actually, according to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), those with the most get the left over Reward, making the difference of Reward between people even greater.
Finally, notice that everyone that does not pass the Salvation judgment will be cast in the lake of fire. One of the places people could spend eternity is the lake of fire. The Bible ended with "bad people go to the lake of fire"...not "bad people go to hell."
Next, we will find out the other place people can spend eternity, which is why the last two chapters (21 and 22) are denoted by the "21,22" in the final section of the diagram which represented eternity.
Revelation 22:1-2
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
1And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Commentary
This was the last chapter of the Bible. Even in heaven, we will need fruits and leaves for healing... for eternal life. The water will give us the ability to repair. The trees and the leaves will give us the ability to repair. Even though we will be profitable in heaven we will still grow and be pruned by God so that we can produce more fruit. We will spend eternity repenting. We will spend all of eternity going the opposite direction of death!
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
The last chapter of the Bible began with a reference to grace: The water of life that proceeds from God and the Lamb.
Commentary · verse 2
The tree of life will have twelve fruits which will be yielded every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Two points:
- First, time does not cease in eternity. At the very least, it is measured in months.
- Second, we currently sleep in order to repair as much as possible. In eternity, we will not sleep because it is always day, however, we will still have the need to repair which will occur through the fruits from the tree of life.
Remember, Adam and Eve were prevented from eating from this tree by angels. If they had eaten of this tree they would have had eternal life. In fact, notice what we have here at the end of the Bible in eternity: a Husband, a Wife, a river, a tree of life - paradise: the new Eden. The Bible ended the way it began. God's initial Will was for Adam and Eve to exist forever in the Garden of Eden. They lost this ability when they justified themselves. They expressed their will to act according to their own nature. The way to exist forever in the new Eden will be to express your will to act according to God's Nature (and in opposition to your own nature), which is grace.
Matthew 25:41-43
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Commentary
The lake of fire is where people will be with the devil and his angels. There will be people who God will Rightly and Justly send to the lake of fire because all have been given free will to choose to Think as God or continue to think as men. The devil and his angels think as animals and these people will spend eternity thinking as animals because while they were on earth, they chose not to think like God. They will not be able to create for eternity. We create when we think. The only way to prevent these people from creating is for them to be in torment to the point they aren't able to think like God. Jesus calls us to DO. He stated that these people didn't love Him and others by giving to them. It is not enough to SAY. Our belief is based on our actions, on our HOW/WHY.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 31-46
Verses 31-46: the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.
6And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Commentary
The people and the city of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire because of the evil that they chose and they will suffer an eternal fire.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 6
Peter wrote a similar passage in 2 Peter 2:4-5. Again, Jude proved Salvation was by choice because even angels chose to sin before the Flood and they were punished in tartarus.
Commentary · verse 7
Peter wrote a similar passage in 2 Peter 2:6-7. Again, Sodom and the Flood were two examples where God punished because people chose not to believe. They were also the only two instances involving angels and sex. During Noah's time, some angels chose to have sex with women. During Lot's time, some men attempted to have sex with two angels.
13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever.
13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Commentary
Others will also have eternal punishment. There has been a place reserved for them. Some people believe that those who don't go to heaven will cease to exist or will only be in torment until they repent. The Bible stated these people will experience an eternal fire that prevents them from choosing to repent. Also, we've seen that once a being is judged, they are unable to act apart from their nature. People who end up in the lake of fire will have a sinful nature for eternity, which also prevents them from repenting.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 13
These people would experience eternal punishment.
8And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
8Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 8-10
Verses 8 and 9 showed Jesus' continued emphasis on the spiritual over the physical. "Little ones" have angels in heaven.
43And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
44
43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Commentary
Jesus stated people will be in an eternal fire. These people will not cease to exist; they will still exist. They will be unable to repair, and therefore not have life! Definitions are so important. Jesus was talking about short term vs. long term thinking. It is better for us to destroy a part of ourselves, than for us to try and keep a part of us (remain comfortable) and go to an eternal fire. Our flesh is something that we ought to be destroying so that God's Spirit can direct our lives. Do we try to maintain all parts of us and justify ourselves, instead of being humble and killing our flesh?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 41-48
Notice, Jesus said that people who end up in the lake of fire exist eternally. They do not eventually end up in heaven. They do not eventually cease to exist.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; 2Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; 5which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, 7and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: 9who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.
1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Commentary
It is Righteous to eternally punish these people, not only for what they did to God but what they did to believers. God will have His vengeance upon the people who were evil with the love God gave. God will reward you if you handle the abuse well that these people did towards you. This ought to cause us to rest and have confidence in the persecution and affliction that we take. We have to believe that God is Right and Just for us to not even out the abuse that we endure from those who are unbelievers. When we forgive those that abuse us (unbelievers) God will reward our righteousness.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
Paul, with Silvanus and Timothy, wrote to the church in Thessalonica again.
Commentary · verses 2-3
Paul thanked them because their faith grew and their love abounded. This was something that Paul exhorted them towards in his first letter, he wanted them to grow/abound in their love towards each other.
Commentary · verse 4
They had been patient and faithful in their persecutions and tribulations, which Paul also referenced in his first letter.
Commentary · verse 5
Doctrine: Being persecuted is a proof ("manifest token") that a believer is Righteous and counted as worthy of the Kingdom of God! God only trusts the most excellent believers with persecution from unbelievers.
Commentary · verse 6
Commentary · verses 7-9
Doctrine: Eternal destruction will come upon those who do not believe in God. Everyone will not eventually end up in heaven. God will equal out Justice, so we ought to forgive those who persecute us. To forgive meant "to state your will that you will not take out Justice on your own, even if you had the chance."
Commentary · verse 10
Paul referenced the Day of the Lord, which was the deep Doctrine from his first letter to the Thessalonians.
Matthew 26:24-25
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
24The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.
25And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.
24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Commentary
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 20-24
Jesus stated that it would be better for Judas to have never been born. This was another verse that showed Judas did not end up in heaven...ever.
Song of Solomon 8:6
ChapterRead the ChapterChanges this passage only. Set your default for every passage.
6Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of Jehovah.
6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Commentary
The definition of death is "the inability to repair," it is the opposite of life. How can love be as strong as death? How can we use what we have learned to understand this passage? The definition of love is "giving without expecting from the person to whom you have given". Death is "the inability to repair". Love is as strong as death because giving is able to repair. If you do not give, you are taking, and actually making something less, not more. When you give, you are creating something more, which is the principle of repair. Repair involves a DO, not simply a SAY. Repentance is a DO, it is an action. When you repent you give more than what you took, and the abuse has actually turned into something profitable!
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-14
Again, this was a song. The focus of the dialogue changed often and quickly...
Commentary · verses 6-7
Closing Thoughts
The Bible was filled with these non-contradictory definitions for the words we build our faith on. What would happen if you took a comparative, comfort-driven, traditional worldview and made a religion out of it? Do you think people would follow it? What if it didn't make sense, do you think people would still follow it? What if words were left undefined, and the more complicated the doctrine got, the more people would try to prove that their contradictions were actually truth?
Can people be so deceived they celebrate deception?
The devil deceived: gave a Right WHAT with a Wrong or No HOW/WHY. The devil, those that were deceived, and hell will be put in the lake of fire for eternity where they will be tormented forever. God created everything, only God is Good, and that means we will exist forever because it was God's Will that all would know Him and spend eternity with Him. People will choose to follow after their flesh and be deceived. No one can escape from God. It is a fact on Judgment Day there will be two judgments. Everyone will be judged based on their righteousness (books of works) which results in reward, and they will be judged based on if they allowed God's Righteousness to direct their actions by grace through faith (which is the book of life) which results in salvation. There are two places where people will spend their eternity: the new Jerusalem or the lake of fire. We are Predestinated (limited in advance) to one of those two places.